How to catch shiny Darumaka in Pokemon GO

Pokemon GO's upcoming five-year anniversary event will showcase the quirky Fire-type Pokemon Darumaka, giving players their best chance yet to acquire its shiny form.

Starting Tuesday, July 6th, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. until July 15th, 2021 at 8:00 p.m. local time, Darumaka will appear alongside a floating balloon Pikachu more frequently in the wild. According to Niantic, "lucky" Pokemon GO trainers will also be able to catch a shiny Darumaka, implying that it will be easier to obtain, similar to previous events. Since Darumaka evolves into Darmanitan, an effective Fire-type Pokemon capable of becoming a powerful counter in PvE situations, grabbing a shiny is a goal for many players during the event.

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Pokemon GO: Ways to improve a chance at catching shiny Darumaka

Image via The Pokemon Company

Though increasing the actual percentage chance of a shiny Darumaka appearing isn't possible on a Pokemon GO player's end, there are means to make more Darumaka appear during the event that will allow for more chances at encountering a shiny. The more Darumaka that spawn, the more opportunities players have at finding that elusive shiny form.

For starters, incense will be an invaluable item towards collecting shiny Darumaka. Since the item attracts Pokemon to spawn around the trainer, it is a fantastic tool, especially if the player is actively moving, as that increases the spawn rate based on distance traveled as opposed to time elapsed. For players low on incense, they can be bought in Pokemon GO's in-game shop for a discounted 40 Pokecoins due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Pokemon GO players close to Pokestops should also make use of Lure Modules, which can be attached to Pokestops to increase spawns in the area for 30 minutes. There are a few different Lure Modules available to players, but since there isn't one that specifically targets Fire-type Pokemon, it's best to use the standard lure. Though this doesn't guarantee the specific spawning of Darumaka, it typically amplifies whatever Pokemon is currently appearing in the wild.

If used during the fifth anniversary festivities, chances are very good that Darumaka will appear more often as a result. This may be offset slightly by the specific starter Pokemon set to appear around lures for the event, but it is still worth trying.

Pokemon GO trainers with access to gyms should keep an eye on raids as well, as Darumaka will be appearing as a Tier 1 raid boss for the duration of the event. By defeating Darumaka in low-level raids, players should be able to acquire an extra Darumaka or two, which of course have the potential to be shiny alongside having fairly solid stats from being a raid boss. The raiding method is certainly worth a shiny hunter's time if they have raid passes to spare.

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